Hand brake



Abril 10, 1928.

HAND BRAKE Filed May 8. 1924 i c n hand power transmitting means.

Fatented Apr. im, T928.

WILLIAM HENRY SAUVAGE, or Nnw YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, T ROYAL RAILWAY IMPROVEMENTS CORPORATION, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.,

A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

HAND BRAKE.

Application filed May 8,

This yinvention relates to improvements in lifting or pulling apparatus, and, while it do not wish to be limited to the particular application hereinafter set forth, it will nevertheless be described with relation to its application to hand brakes for railway cars.

@ne of the objects of the present invention is to provide a simple and practical mechanism of the above character having relatively few parts which may be inexpensively manufactured and assembled.

A further object is to provide a mechanism of the above character which will be reliable and eicient in use and operation and having relatively few parts whereby the possibility of the device getting out of order will be eliminated. c

A further object is to provide a 'mer-lr ratus of the above character,-in which the power is transmitted to the member to be actuated upon with a minimum amount of loss due to other power absorbing means.

A further object of the invention is to provide `a hand brake mechanism particu-` larly adapted for use on railway cars which may be easily and conveniently operated with the greatest efficiency.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part hereinafter pointed outin connection with the following analysis of the invention, when taken in connection with the accompanying sheet of drawing illustrating one of various possible embodiments of the invention, and in the. several views of which corresponding parts are denoted by similar reference characters.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view show ing such parts of the invention as are necessary to fully understand the same;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view with certain parts broken away or shown in dotted lines in order that the same may be clearly understood; and

Figures 3 and 4: are detail views of the Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Figure 1, 5 indicates a suitable support to which the mechanism is adapted to be attached. When this mechanism is used as a railway brake, the part 5 is usually theendwall of a freight car,

, for example. Secured to this support is a Cause 1924. Serial N0. 711,828.

semi-circular box-like casing 6 preferably closed at the top and open at the bottom, clearly shown. The casing carries a main central shaft 7 supporting a winding drum 8 which is preferably shaped to cooperate with an ordinary block or sprocket chain 10.

This chain, as shown in Figure 2, is of the endless type, being connected by means of a ring 11 with a second chain 12 connected with the member to be actuated, such, for example, as the brake beams. Closely adjacent the drum 8 is an enlarged gear wheel 13, keyed to the shaft 7, and having curved teeth substantially as shown ,in Figure 2 about its periphery, which teeth are of such shape as to coact with a small pinion gear 14, integrally formed with a stub shaft 15, as shown in Figure 3. This gear 14 is spaced yfrom the hand wheel 16 by a cylindrical portion 17 which acts as aA bearing and is contained within a box 18 formed on the casing 6. A lock nut 20 coacts with the threaded end of the stub shaft 15 to hold `the parts in assembled relation. These parts may be integral, as shown in Figure 4, if desired.

The upper part of the housing 6 has a depending lug 21 which acts as a bearing for a. sh'aft 22 provided with an actuating handle 23 at its outer end. Secured to this shaft 22 is a double-acting pawl 24, the two ends of which 25 and 26 are adapted to coact with the teeth of the large gear wheel 13 depending upon which way an actuating handle 23 is moved. This actuating handle is preferably supplied with a drop weight lock 27 adapted to engage the stop 23, as it is swung from side to side, thereby the pawl in engaging position.

It is believed that the operation ofthe present device will be clear from the abo-ve description. It may, however, be briefly stated that the chain 10, being of the endless type, it is immaterial -which way the hand wheel 16 is turned. In either eventv the gear 14 meshing with the gear 13 willl the chain 10 to wind around the block 8l and exert a pull upon the' chain 12. The pawl 25 will hold the gear wheel against rotation in a clockwise direction. as, shown in Figure ,2, while if the handle 23 is swung to 180" tooth to prevent a counter-clockwise rotation. The gear 14 being mounted and formedv to hold l then the pawl 26 will coact with the integrally with the stub shaft 15, provides a very simple, compact and rigid construction, which may be inexpensively manufactured and assembled. The gear drum 8 is preferably made of cast metal and integral with the gear 18, t-hereby to further reduce the cost of manufacture; the casing being of a closed type will prevent the'accumulation of d irt, snow or ice in the gearing, thus rendering the mechanism safe and reliable under all conditions of use.

It is thus seen that the present invention provides a mechanism well adapted to accomplish among others all of the objects and advantages herein set forth.

lVithout further analysis the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of this invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting certain features that, from the standpoint of the prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalency of t-he following claims.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, in combinatioma casing having a closed top and provided with an opening on its under side, a block chain'sheave within said casing, a gear integrally formed With said sheave, a han'd wheel, a shaft on which it is mounted, a pinion gear integrallyI formed with said shaft and meshing with the first mentioned gear, a double acting pawl co-acting lwith the first mentioned gear adapted to prevent rotation in either direction according to the positionin which it is set,` and a chain passing around said sheave in the form of a loop and connected with a second chain whereby as said sheave is rotated in either direction tension will be exerted on said second chain and said double acting pawl will hold the same in tensioned position.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, rin combination, a housing having a.'

closed top and provided with an opening on its underside, a reversible ratchet gear chain drum within said housing, an endless chain associated therewith and passing out through said opening, a double acting pawl co-acting with said gear, means for rotating the said gear, and a second chain connected with said first chain whereby as said sheave is ros tated in either direction tension will be ex-A incassa errted on said second chain and said double acting pawl will hold the same in tensioned position.

3. In a apparatus of the character described, in combination, a housing having an opening in its under1 side thru which an actuating chain is adapted to pass, means adapted to secure said housing to the vertical end wall of a car or the like, a horizontally disposed shaft mounted in bearings in the side walls of said housing, a chain sheave on said shaft within said housing, a chain having a non-slip coactive relation with said sheave and extending thru said opening in the bottom of said housing, a gear on said shaft parallel to said sheave, a second shaft mounted in said housing, a gear mounted on said shaft and meshing with said first gear, an actuating member mounted on said second shaft outside of said housing, whereby said shaft may be rotated to drive the first shaft and the sheave mounted thereon, a pawl mounted in said housing and coacting to hold one of said gears against rotation, and a counter-weighted arm outside of said housing and cooperating with said pawl adapted to hold said pawl in the desired position according to which way said lever is moved.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a housing of general inverted U-shaped construction having substantially closed top and side walls and provided with an opening' in its under side thru `a non-slip coactive relation with said sheave and extending thru the opening in the bottom of said housing, a relatively large gear associated with said sheave and rotatable therewith, a smaller gear meshing with the first gear, a shaft upon which said smaller gear is mounted, 4bearings in the 'walls of said housing for said second shaft, a hand wheel for turning said second shaft mounted 011 the outside of said housing, a pivoted pawl in said housing and coacting to hold one of said gears against rotation, ,and a counterweighted arm outside of said housing for moving said pawl on its pivot relative to said gear thereby to hold the said pawl in the position to which it is moved` In witness whereof I liave hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM HENRY SAUVAGE. 

